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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23075272">Always</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/curiousscientistkae/pseuds/curiousscientistkae'>curiousscientistkae</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Bittersweet Ending, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Future Fic, Hurt/Comfort, Their daughter is there for a couple secs sfafnaskfba</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 09:55:52</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,108</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23075272</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/curiousscientistkae/pseuds/curiousscientistkae</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It's Adora's Birthday and Glimmer spends some time with her</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Adora/Glimmer (She-Ra)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>27</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Always</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Glimmer shifts in her sleep. She slowly comes out of her dreams but not quite fully. She is trapped in a state between reality and her own mind. Her bed is comfy and cozy, why <em> would </em> she want to get out? Today will be a long day anyway. More of a reason to stay nestled in her blankets. But someone doesn't want her to just lie about all morning. </p><p>Something soft and gentle touches her. It barely brushes her cheek but it is enough to stir her more. She moans and buries her head further into her pillow. </p><p>
  <em> "You know you gotta wake up eventually, hon. I can't stay long but I'll meet you there when you catch up. Don't keep me waiting." </em>
</p><p>Glimmer sighs at the voice of her wife. She's right. No need to keep her waiting. Still, she stays in her bed for some time before finally opening her eyes. Her room is still and quiet. Morning light seeps through the cracks, asking Glimmer to open the shades and let it fully spill in. However, she simply flips over in bed. </p><p>Adora's bedside is empty. Not a surprise. Glimmer reaches out and places her hand on the mattress. She is already gone but Glimmer will catch up with her later today, whenever she decides to crawl out of bed. After a couple of minutes of gathering the energy to move, she finally picks her heavy body up and gets ready for the day. The first thing she does is stroll across her floor to let the rest of the light in. </p><p>She pulls the curtains aside, forcing most of the darkness away. The outside world is bright with sunshine. It glistens off the freshly fallen snow. Even after all these years, Glimmer still cannot believe that once the world was taken out of Despondos, some of the weather shifted and shuffled around. Nothing too bad but living near the Whispering Woods, it still is a sight to see snow there. Not much but enough to still coat the world into a pure white existence.  </p><p>Glimmer runs her fingers against the frosted window, tracing the designs the ice has made against the glass. The Winter Festival will be soon. The first big event of the year. Adora’s favorite holiday. The corners of Glimmer’s mouth twitch into a soft smile as she starts to remember back to the first time Adora got to go to one. </p><p>Her eyes were brighter than any of the lights hanging on the buildings or trees. She moved so fast between every little thing there, Glimmer swore she gained teleportation powers all of a sudden. She could barely keep up with her then girlfriend. All Adora could talk about during that day was all the new things she saw, asking Glimmer all about them, and trying anything and everything out. By the time the two arrived home that night, Adora passed out with the biggest grin ever on her face. </p><p>Maybe it would be good to check it out this year. It was always so fun. That can be figured out later. Glimmer moves away from the window and goes to shower. While standing in the running water, part of her wants to stay there for as long as possible. The warm embrace is comforting but nothing compared to Adora’s. But she has to tell herself not to stay in there forever. She can’t keep her wife waiting. She steps out and changes into her clothing for the day. As she digs through a drawer for something to tie her now long hair back, she spots something sticking out. Glimmer reaches out and pulls it out. </p><p>One of Adora’s many colored ribbons. This one is purple. After the time Glimmer saved Adora from Shadow Weaver’s clutches and stopped her mind from being wiped, the warrior princess began having memory problems. Having the spell cut abruptly and forcefully short, and all the time that a full wipe might have actually happened in her childhood, must have done something to her brain. It’s little things Adora started to forget about, once in a while major things, and once it was figured out she was having those problems, the two came up with ideas to help her remember. Like with the ribbon in her hands. This color is for remembering important dates coming up. </p><p>Glimmer shoves it in her pocket before finding a hair tie and finishing getting dressed. Now all ready, she heads out of the room. Before she leaves, it’s time to make breakfast. Make something for herself to eat here first and something to bring to Adora. She’ll make her wife’s favorite. It is her birthday after all. As she walks towards the kitchen and dining room, she grabs her communicator and rings Brightmoon Castle. </p><p>Brightmoon now is run by Glimmer's and Adora's eldest. Once she became of age and was ready to take on the burden, Glimmer stepped down. She and Adora then decided why not move out of the castle and into a comfy and smaller home near one of the villages. Allow themselves downtime and finally get away from the hustle and bustle of royal life, yet still be close enough if their help was needed. Glimmer won't lie, it's nice to be out and away from things. </p><p>After a few rings, a tall, tan, athletically built woman picks up. Her two toned, blonde hair is tied back in a small pony tail and her dark purple eyes are bright. Harper grins as she sets down her own communicator before stepping back and sitting down on a nearby couch, being careful of her wings. Glimmer smiles, it has been a while since they last talked to each other and she is happy to have company around while she cooks. The two begin to chat about what has been going on. </p><p>Life in Brightmoon has been going well, nothing much to note. Glimmer has not much to tell her daughter either. She asks about her two youngest, Harper’s dorky younger twin sister and brother. She is informed that the two are doing well and are busy with their own things. Glimmer wishes to be able to call them but maybe when they don’t have so much on their plates she will. But it is good to hear that everyone is doing well and nothing bad is happening. As she finishes cooking, her daughter asks her a question. </p><p>“Are you good, Ma?” </p><p>Glimmer looks up. Harper looks over her glasses, worry is in her eyes. Glimmer sighs. “I’m fine, sweetheart. Everything is good so don’t fret, okay?”</p><p>“Hey, I can worry about you also. Anyway, I need to get going. Say ‘hi’ to mom for me.”</p><p>“Will do, AJ.” Glimmer is about to look back down at her food when she hears her daughter laughing. This makes her stop and keep her gaze on her. “What?”</p><p>“I just don’t hear my nickname from you that often anymore. It’s nice.”</p><p>Glimmer chuckles a little at this realization. “Yeah, I guess you're right. Anyway, I’ll catch you later, Harp.”</p><p>Harper waves her off and the screen goes black. Glimmer finishes her food and starts to eat it. Harper stays in her mind. She is so much like her mother Adora. Looks a lot like her, loves waking up at the crack of dawn, hard-working yet filled with anxiety, but so very caring. So much like her mom it resulted in her nickname. A heavy feeling that has been in her chest all day grows a little at that thought. But Harper is her own person and that helps ease her mind. Glimmer finishes her food and cleans up her mess before making Adora’s breakfast. </p><p>It’s one of the foods that she first tasted after leaving the Horde. That first day when she met her and Bow and went to Thaymor and had real food for the first time. Glimmer also quickly makes a  couple small, grey ration bars to the best of her ability. It is nothing like the ones Adora had growing up all her life but it’s still an honest attempt at another favorite food of her wife. Once Adora’s food is ready, Glimmer boxes it away and uses her ribbon to tie it off in a neat bow.  </p><p>Glimmer gets ready to head out and meet her wife. She puts on cold weather gear, including Adora’s red jacket. It has been altered so she can get her large set of wings through it. Once she is dressed, she grabs a set of flowers by the door. A mix of roses, lilies, and orchids. All set and ready, she opens the door and heads out into the Whispering Woods. </p><p>The world is silent, as if it knows what today is and where Glimmer is heading. The only sound that fills her ears comes from the crunching of snow below her feet. Glimmer’s breath crystallizes in front of her. She looks around the world. Snow wraps around the branches. There must have been some frozen rain at one point as tips of thin branches are covered in ice. They glisten with the light they reflect. Adora would’ve been totally mesmerized by the sight. It always was the little things in life that made her wife become the most curious and awestruck person alive.  </p><p>Everything becomes heavier as she walks, even as the coat of snow below her becomes thin. Her footsteps, her body, her heart, and her mind. But she keeps walking. She isn’t about to ditch Adora today. That is cruel to leave her waiting in the cold on her birthday. After some more time of walking through the thicket of trees, Glimmer finally breaks through into an all to familiar opening. </p><p>It’s exactly where she first met Adora all those years ago. When she and Bow were trying to find whatever Bow’s communicator had found, Glimmer never thought she would meet a Horde soldier and that they would become her best friend, a trusted ally in the fight for freedom, and the love of her life. One little event changed the course of history and there is nothing she would change about it. </p><p>The area looks more or less the same since that day. Some new foliage has grown and some that were here back then have gotten larger. It is like she stepped into a time capsule. The only notable change is a stone sticking out of the ground near where the sword once was entwined in vines. Glimmer walks slowly over to it. Once she is a foot away, she kneels down on the ground. Snow and leaves from the previous fall cover the slab. Glimmer brushes them all away, revealing the text carved into the stone.   </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Here Lies Adora </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Beloved Friend, Hero, Mother, and Wife </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Dearly Missed but May She Lie In Peace </em>
</p><p>❤ </p><p>Glimmer keeps her hand on stone, her thumb rubbing over the heart. Inside of it is part of Adora’s sword, taken from the shards after she had broken it towards the end of the war. The other half is from a stone from Brightmoon. It was Adora’s idea to do that. </p><p>It has been a few years now since her wife’s death. Glimmer sighs thinking about it. Adora had gotten older while Glimmer had seemingly stopped aging after reaching her late 20s and early 30s. It took awhile for anyone to figure out that it just slowed down to a snail's pace. One of the many curses of having an immoral mother.</p><p>All Glimmer’s life, this was her biggest fear. That she would outlive the ones she cared about. It’s one of the reasons she didn’t have many friends growing up. Didn’t want to get too close. But things changed, things happened, and her idea of being alone all her life was thrown straight out the window. Yet her fear remained. It nearly overcame her and almost ruined her and Adora’s friendship once more at one point. When she realized she was falling in love with the blonde, love being something she swore off because of the fear, she started to panic. Started to reject Adora and stay away from her. With no outlet, no way to really talk about the terror in her brain, she started to lash out. Just like when she was thrusted into the role of queen. </p><p>But Adora finally broke through to her one day. Held Glimmer tight in her arms and she finally spilled her fears to Adora as she cried into her shoulder. She remembers Adora promising her they will figure everything out and even if her fear comes true, that she’ll still always be with her in spirit. She’ll never leave her with the memories she leaves behind for her mind to playback and the love she gives Glimmer to hold in her heart to take comfort in when days are dark. </p><p>It hurts but Adora sure as hell was right. </p><p>A lump forms in Glimmer’s throat. She does her best to swallow it as she removes her hand from the gravestone. She reaches into the bag she brought and places down the set of flowers and box of food on the ground. After a moment, she finds her voice. </p><p>“Happy Birthday, love. I made your favorite!” Glimmer’s voice quavers. “Even made the ration bars you like as best as I could. I hope you enjoy ‘em. Even found one of your ribbons to tie it off.”</p><p>Only the wind answers her. Glimmer’s vision becomes blurred and she wipes her eyes and sniffs. “Spoke to Harper today. She says ‘hi’. I’m sure Mira and Micah would want you to know that also. They all are so busy and living their lives to the best of their abilities. You’d be so proud of them. I mean you already where but they are doing so good. Just like you.”</p><p>Her body starts to tremble, yet not from the cold. The lump is back and almost chokes her. She starts to hiccup. “I still miss ya. Always do. But I am doing as best as I can. Just like you asked of me. I won’t ever break that promise to you, Starlight. Sorry I haven’t visited you more and hopefully I wasn’t late today. Sometimes I don’t have the energy to do so…</p><p>“I will come back more often, I promise. Tell you all about everything going on. Though, I hope you’d know everything watching from where ever you are. Life’s a little boring without you but it still is fun so I hope you are getting a laugh out of everything.”</p><p>Glimmer wipes off her face with her sleeve and takes a breath. She doesn’t speak again until she composes most of herself back together. “The Winter Festival is soon and I promise to go there and tell you all about it. Maybe bring something from there with me when i see you again. I figure you’d want to hear all about it. So you can look forward to that...I probably should get going soon. It’s freezing out...”</p><p>She places a hand back on the stone, right next to the heart. “I love you and you’ll always be my hero. I don’t know what I ever would have done with my life without you.” </p><p>Glimmer leans forward and places a kiss on the heart symbol. Another soft gust of wind blows through the area, nipping at her cheeks. Glimmer stays where she is for a few more moments, enjoying the feeling on her skin. After some time, she stands up and heads back to her home. </p><p>She spends the rest of the day doing little things. Watching her favorite shows, reading some books, talking more to Harper and others, and making herself food. When night comes around, she starts to get ready for bed. Glimmer decides before laying down to leave the curtains open. Through the window, she can look up at the stars in the dark night sky and let their light fill her room. As she lays down, she keeps her eyes on them, looking at one bright one in particular. Finally sleep finds her and forces her back into her dreams. </p><p>
  <em> Her mind sends her back to many years ago. After the war ended but before any of the children were born. She finds herself sitting in one of the many courtyards, soaking in the sun that was brought back to everyone only a short time before. She is alone, her eyes shut, for some time before a nose catches her attention. Glimmer opens up her eyes and looks up.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Adora looks down at her, a large, dorky grin on her face. Her hair is loose and she has a twinkle in her soft, sky blue eyes. “Mind if I sit here?” she asks.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Do you really need to ask?” Glimmer asks. Adora plops down right by her. She leans back to enjoy the sun rays as well.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “This is so nice.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “It’s all thanks to you, love. Never knew how nice it was just to sit outside like this.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Same. And that’s thanks to you teaching me to chill.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Glimmer laughs. “You still are more wound up half the time than a children’s toy. What are you talking about?” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Hey! I am getting better.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Fair enough.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Glimmer shifts closer to Adora and rests a head on her shoulder. Adora doesn’t move. They remain in silence for some time, watching people walk about their day from afar and listening to the birds sing their melodies.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “We need to do this more often,” Glimmer finally says in a hush voice.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “I know. Sorry about being away,” Adora replies, quiet as well. "But man, I love and miss your cooking. Thank you for that today. Especially the bars. I’ve been gone for so long I forgot how great they taste." </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “No problem. Guess we both are bad with time, huh? I miss this...and you.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “I miss you too, Glim. Everyday that I am away.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Adora slowly reaches up and places her hand under Glimmer’s chin. She makes her head turn so the two are facing each other. They kiss, staying locked together for as long as they possibly can, enjoying every millisecond of the soft embrace, before shifting to place their foreheads together.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> "I love you so much, Starlight. I miss you,” Glimmer whispers. In her own blurry vision, she can see tears forming in Adora’s eyes.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> "I miss you too, Glitter-bug,” Adora replies. “But never forget, I love you forever and always.” Adora wraps her strong, warm arms around Glimmer, holding her tight. “Always…” </em>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I s2g there will be fluff after this, I swore it to the glimmadora chat I had suffering while they were seeing this as a WIP kasjbfakjsfbaskjgbas</p><p>But okay, I know I have done this before, the idea (and i still have to finish that one fic with this idea I just don't have the energy to re read chapters to do the next akjsbgaksjg), but I do like playing with it since I don't see it often. And this was the first time I really wanted to try really hinting at stuff/one second read throughs things take on a different meaning. I will change tags if I need to but I wanted to keep it non-spoilery for that reason (and the character death happens like off screen and long ago so??? again if needed I'll figure something out). </p><p>Anyway I do hope either way y'all enjoyed this and again, I promise more fluff. I also had help from <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/CountDorku/pseuds/CountDorku">CountDorku</a> with a couple of the ideas in this fic.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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